Korean biopharma eyes partnerships, licensing at J.P. Morgan conference
Major Korean biopharmaceutical firms are gearing up to showcase their vision and strengths at the 44th J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference in San Francisco next week, looking to expand ties with global partners.
This year’s event is set to take place at the Westin St. Francis hotel from Jan. 12 to 15, with about 1,500 companies and 8,000 participants projected to gather at the venue, including dozens of Korean firms eyeing overseas business opportunities.
Samsung Biologics, taking part in the JPMHC for the 10th consecutive year, will give a presentation at the Grand Ballroom on Jan. 13. The contract development and manufacturing organization, or CDMO, is one of only 25 companies invited by the event organizers to present at the Grand Ballroom, out of 500 official presenters at the four-day event.
Samsung Biologics CEO John Rim is expected to lay out plans for this year along with a mid- to long-term vision, while underscoring the firm’s steady growth and industry-leading CDMO capabilities following its $280 million acquisition of GSK’s biopharmaceutical manufacturing plant in Maryland last month, which secured its first production facility in the United States.
Celltrion, the only other Korean company to present at the Grand Ballroom, is expected to describe its roadmap for future growth and pipeline expansion amid intensifying competition in the global biosimilar market. Celltrion CEO Seo Jin-seok, the oldest son of Celltrion founder and Chair Seo Jung-jin, is expected to highlight the company’s strategies.
Three Korean biotech firms -- D&D Pharmatech, Alteogen and Hugel -- were invited to speak during the Asia-Pacific track at this year’s JPMHC.
D&D Pharmatech CEO Lee Seul-ki will unveil the intermediate results of its DD01, a drug candidate for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis, or MASH, during his presentation. With rising global attention on MASH treatments designed for weight loss, DD01 has received great interest from the pharmaceutical industry, with its efficacy and safety data from the ongoing Phase 2 clinical trial in the US set to serve as key future indicators.
Alteogen’s presentation will be led by its newly appointed CEO Chun Tae-yon. Chun is expected to highlight the company’s core technologies, including its Hybrozyme platform, which has been used to develop a new human hyaluronidase with improved enzymatic activity and thermal stability.
Hugel’s two recently appointed leaders -- Korean CEO Daniel Chang and global CEO Carrie Strom -- will share the stage to present the company’s strategy in expanding its core products, including botulinum toxin and hyaluronic acid fillers, in the global market and discuss the firm’s new growth engines for the future.
The JPMHC, which takes place every January, has become a chance for Korean companies to initiate and accelerate international talks leading to out-licensing deals and contracts.
Yuhan presented Lazertinib, a new lung cancer treatment, at the 2018 JPMHC, leading to an out-license contract with Janssen in November that year, including a $50 million upfront payment and milestone-based payments worth up to $1.2 billion.
ABL Bio inked a $75 million upfront payment and a milestone-based agreement of up to $985 million with Sanofi to develop and commercialize ABL301, a pre-clinical stage bispecific antibody treatment using enhanced blood-brain barrier penetration technology, during the 2022 JPMHC, which was held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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